Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical and electronic systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to systems and methods for transmitting, receiving and outputting multimedia content.
Description of the Related Art
For many applications there is a need for a system and method for transmitting, receiving and automatically outputting multimedia content. Advertising is one such example. Conventional advertising practices include the use of print media (e.g. newspapers, magazines, direct mail etc.), television, radio and the Internet. Each approach has its shortcomings and limitations. Many perceive television to be the most important medium inasmuch as it offers rich multimedia (audio/visual) content to what is perceived to be a captive audience. However, a television is not generally a portable appliance. Hence, the consumer spends only a limited amount of time viewing a television. This forces advertisers to compete for the relatively small window of time during which consumers are reachable via the medium. This drives up airtime costs to the extent that only those advertisers with the means reach the audience. The files thus presented are loosely based on general market profiles, viewing habits and/or demographics. Hence, the consumer is typically presented with untimely files that do not correlate well with the individual consumer's interests or preferences.
Radio files suffer from many of the same limitations as television, with the exception that the compelling video component is not present, but the device is often portable. In both cases, the files are untimely and not targeted based on individual consumer interests or preference. Further, the feedback to advertisers is limited through these media channels.
Print media, especially, newspapers and magazines lack compelling multimedia content, are not targeted based on preference, and do not provide feedback to advertisers as to the number of people that actually viewed an ad. Direct mail files suffer from the same shortcomings as newspapers and magazines with the additional consideration that direct mail is not invited and not well received.
Uninvited files are particularly endemic to web based advertising channels with pop-ups and spam being a bane of most user's web experience. Hence, files presented via spam and pop-ups are clearly not timely and typically not presented with rich, compelling multimedia content. While some advertiser feedback is provided in this medium, the files are not typically targeted based on the preferences of the individual user.
The above-referenced patent application by Carl Freer addresses the need in the art for an improved method for advertising that presents compelling multimedia files targeted to consumers based on their individual preferences in a timely and cost effective manner. What is needed then is a system and method for implementing the system taught by Freer.